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Updated February 28th, 2020 at 18:29 IST

Serbia law criticised in 'missing babies' scandal

Protesters gathered outside Serbia's parliament, fearing that a new law due to be voted on would do little to help them uncover what happened to their children, who they believe were taken from maternity wards as new-borns.

Serbia law criticised in 'missing babies' scandal
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Protesters gathered outside Serbia's parliament, fearing that a new law due to be voted on would do little to help them uncover what happened to their children, who they believe were taken from maternity wards as new-borns.

Mirjana Novokmet was only 19 years old when she was told at a Belgrade clinic that her baby boy was stillborn.

She wasn't allowed to see him, and she has not been able to determine with certainty why he died or where he was buried.

More than 40 years later, Novokmet is still searching for answers.

She told the Associated Press: "I am certain that he is alive. I believe someone had taken him, sold him, within the country or outside the country."

Novokmet is not alone. Hundreds of families in Serbia have voiced similar suspicions after being unable to collect their deceased children's medical records or trace their place of burial.

The chilling scandal has made it to the European Court of Human Rights which ruled against Serbia in 2013, demanding that the authorities create a mechanism that would provide answers to parents in similar situations.

As a result, Serbian lawmakers are set in the coming days to pass the long-awaited bill designed to try to establish the facts in court proceedings or offer compensation where the truth cannot be determined.

Praised by the authorities as the right way forward, the bill has been criticised by the parents' associations and independent experts who argue that it will serve to pay out the families rather than establish the truth.

Cedomir Backovic Assistant Minister of Justice at The Council of Europe, told the AP that "whatever we did wouldn't be good enough."

The law envisages that specially-appointed and trained judges probe the reported cases of the missing babies and coordinate activities by the state services to determine their faith.

Where this cannot be done, the families will be compensated with up to 10,000 Euros ($10,800.)

(Pic Credit: Pixabay)

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Published February 28th, 2020 at 18:29 IST

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